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Rh 80 LOUISE DE LA VALLIERE. "You are of my opinion, then?'* from yonder?" Boulogne, one of our friends, for instance; it is no great time ago." "Some people — one of our friends " "Your memory is short." "Ah! true; Bragelonne, you mean." "Exactly so." "Who was on his way to fulfill a mission, with which he was intrusted to King Charles II." "Precisely. Well, then, did he not tell you, or did not you tell him " "I do not precisely know what I told him, I must confess; but I do know what I did not tell him." De Wardes was finesse itself. He perfectly well knew from De Quiche's tone and manner, which was cold and dignified, that the conversation was about assuming a disagreeable turn. He resolved to let it take what course it pleased, and to keep strictly on his guard. "May I ask what it was you did not tell him?" inquired De Guiche. "That about La Valliere." "La Valliere — What is it; and what was that strange circumstance you seem to have known out yonder, which Bragelonne, who was here on the spot, was not acquainted with?" "Do you really ask me that in a serious manner?" "Nothing can be more so." "What! you, a member of the court, living in madame's household, a friend of Monsieur's, a guest at their table, the favorite of our lovely princess?" De Guiche colored violently from anger. "What prin- cess are you alluding to?" he said. "I am only acquainted with one, my dear fellow. I am speaking of mudame herself. Are you devoted to another princess, then? Come, tell me." De Guiche was on the point of launching out, but he saw the drift of the remark. A quarrel was imminent between the two young men. De Wardes wished the quarrel to be only in madame's name, while De Guiche would not accept it except on La Valliere's account. From this moment, it became a series of feigned attacks, which would have con-
 * I should think so. And what news do you bring us
 * 'I? none at all. I have come to look for news here.''
 * But, tell me, you surely must have seen some people at